Fallen Apple From the Family Tree
by xCourageUnderFire
Summary: Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.  - Jane Howard includes: Brucas, Naley, & Jeyton -previously titled brothers in blood and bond-
1. Story Idea

_.- -" "- -._

(… .(_\.../_)… )

{ _"...=-... } _ _ _ _ {.. .-=..."_}  
>xCourageUnderFire<br>presents  
>Fall to Fly<br>A One Tree Hill FanFiction  
>{_.."… … … … … … …""(_}<p>

_Hey guys, so I have this idea and I really wanna run with it so long as you're on board so review and let me know if you wanna keep this thing alive. _

_Things you need to know. Dan had a brief fling while he and Deb were separated when Nathan was little._

_This takes place towards the end of the missing years when Nate's going into the NBA (playing for the bobcats instead of Seattle) and Lucas has had his book published and his falling out with Peyton. Haley is just finishing up her student teaching and Jamie is 4. _

_This is a Brucas, Naley, and Jeyton fanfic with an OCC._

_**HERES A BIT OF A SNEAK PEEK**_

_Dear Nathan and Lucas,_

_Unlike the majority of the populous behind these bars that claim to be innocent, I know for a fact I'm not. Frankly, if I were to make a list of my wrongs, I could be writing it for the rest of my sentence so it's not surprising one of those skeletons slipped out. This particular skeletons name is Logan Atwood and he's your younger brother… another son I selfishly abandoned and never looked back._

_But, in here, that's all you really do._

_And you're probably wondering why I'm telling you this… why make you hate me more and I want you to know that is far from my intention. But if you hate me then I understand. Just please don't write off what I'm about to ask of you because of it. See like you, Lucas, I thought he'd be alright because he had this strong, independent mother and he was until she died in a house fire. Since then, he's been bouncing from foster home and his only way out is through you._

_And, trust me I get the hypocrisy of this coming from me, there's nothing more important than family and this boy needs a family… his family. Don't do this for me, I wouldn't expect you to. Do it for your brother._

Scribbled neatly on a single white sheet of paper are the series of words Lucas Scott has read a series of times; words that he still couldn't quite grasp the meaning of. This was the hundred and sixty-seventh letter he'd received from Dan Scott and despite his usual routine of forwarding it to his trash can, he finally caved to his curiosity and opened this strange piece of mail. The tip of his coarse fingertip follows along the words carefully, following along to make sure he'd read it correctly. Surely, he was mistaken the first time. That's it. His eyes were strained from staring at his computer screen all day working on the rewrites for his novel.

Or maybe not.

Bright blue irises darken to an angry navy as his denial diminishes thanks to the words written right there in black and white. Dan Scott was the Voldemort of the family- the greatest evil since Hitler himself. So why should he believe anything out of his mouth or written by his hand. '_Because'_, he finally realizes. '_He abandoned him, so why wouldn't he betray another son?'_

A kinship is already formed, a pang of comradely between the brothers brought on by the abandonment of the father. Only difference is that Lucas had Keith help raising him and he still has this wonderful amazing mother that always just radiates nurturing and warmth. If Dan'd been sending the same letter for almost a year, who knows what's become of him. It sent Lucas into a tailspin thinking where he'd be without his mom or the guidance Keith provided him.

Running a hand through his immaculate mane of flaxen locks, Lucas tries to wrap his head around the life changing news that'd been dropped in his lap but the better part of him doesn't want to waste time contemplating finding his long lost brother because family is family and you don't turn your back on family.

_Want to read more of this fic?_

_Well there's a simple trick!_

_All you have to do_

_Is take the time and review!_


	2. My Brother, My Brother

Summary: Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. - Jane Howard includes: Brucas, Naley, & Jeyton

_.- -" "- -._

(… .(_\.../_)… )

{ _"...=-... } _ _ _ _ {.. .-=..."_}  
>xCourageUnderFire<br>presents  
>Fallen Apple From the Family Tree<br>A One Tree Hill FanFiction  
>{_.."… … … … … … …""(_}<p>

Chapter One: My Brother, My Brother

xXx  
>My brother, my brother, Whatcha gonna do?<br>My brother, my brother, here to help you  
>Tell me your sorrows, tell me your fears<br>My brother, my brother, I'll always be here  
>xXx<p>

Dear Nathan and Lucas,

Unlike the majority of the populous behind these bars that claim to be innocent, I know for a fact I'm not. Frankly, if I were to make a list of my wrongs, I could be writing it for the rest of my sentence so it's not surprising one of those skeletons slipped out. This particular skeletons name is Logan Atwood and he's your younger brother… another son I selfishly abandoned and never looked back.

But, in here, that's all you really do.

And you're probably wondering why I'm telling you this… why make you hate me more and I want you to know that is far from my intention. But if you hate me then I understand. Just please don't write off what I'm about to ask of you because of it. See like you, Lucas, I thought he'd be alright because he had this strong, independent mother and he was until she died in a house fire. Since then, he's been bouncing from foster home and his only way out is through you.

And, trust me I get the hypocrisy of this coming from me, there's nothing more important than family and this boy needs a family… his family. Don't do this for me, I wouldn't expect you to. Do it for your brother.

Scribbled neatly on a single white sheet of paper are the series of words Lucas Scott has read a series of times; words that he still couldn't quite grasp the meaning of. This was the hundred and sixty-seventh letter he'd received from Dan Scott and despite his usual routine of forwarding it to his trash can, he finally caved to his curiosity and opened this strange piece of mail. The tip of his coarse fingertip follows along the words carefully, following along to make sure he'd read it correctly. Surely, he was mistaken the first time. That's it. His eyes were strained from staring at his computer screen all day working on the rewrites for his novel.

Or maybe not.

Bright blue irises darken to an angry navy as his denial diminishes thanks to the words written right there in black and white. Dan Scott was the Voldemort of the family- the greatest evil since Hitler himself. So why should he believe anything out of his mouth or written by his hand. 'Because', he finally realizes. 'He abandoned him, so why wouldn't he betray another son?'

A kinship is already formed, a pang of comradely between the brothers brought on by the abandonment of the father. Only difference is that Lucas had Keith help raising him and he still has this wonderful amazing mother that always just radiates nurturing and warmth. If Dan'd been sending the same letter for almost a year, who knows what's become of him. It sent Lucas into a tailspin thinking where he'd be without his mom or the guidance Keith provided him.

Running a hand through his immaculate mane of flaxen locks, Lucas tries to wrap his head around the life changing news that'd been dropped in his lap but the better part of him doesn't want to waste time contemplating finding his long lost brother because family is family and you don't turn your back on family.

xXx

An incessant knock, knock, knocking on the door awoke Haley James from her nocturnal slumber. For a brief second, the thought of waking Nathan and having him answer it crosses her mind, but the moment those warm brown eyes settled upon the slumbering man sleeping peacefully, she decides she doesn't have the heart to wake him. Pulling the sheets to the side, legs that feel like they're composed solely of lead dangled from the edge of the bed until they find hardwood and balled hands move up to rub the sand from her eyes before forcing her fatigued body to move.

Then she was quick to move through the hallway, soft footfalls propelling her forward in an almost gliding fashion; her quick pace is accredited to the desire of keeping Jamie in dreamland and not awake because if he did, there'd be no getting him to sleep. Also, she'd be arrested for killing whoever it was at the door.

Luckily, the whoever it was happened to be her best friend, Lucas Scott. The moment the door is open enough Lucas slides past the cinnamon brown-haired best friend and into the foyer.

"Jeez Luke, do you have any idea how late it is?" the singer asks trying to stifle a yawn and failing miserably.

She always had time for her brother-in-law but at two in the morning, she figured she deserved the right to ask. Lucas's eyes didn't meet hers but kept darting up the stairs then flashing to her in politeness if not for any other reason, and back to the stairs. There's an urgency in his demeanor that only heightens Haley's curiosity.

"I know. M'sorry Hales. But is Nate around. It's really important."

xXx

Dan Scott had done some monstrous things in his life… so many things in fact that his son Nathan was starting to believe that nothing he could do would surprise him. But this, he had to admit, he didn't see coming. He sat with his elbows atop his knees and hands cupped over his mouth as he stared off into the distance; Lucas could practically see the cogs turning in his head as he tries to piece together the implications of this bomb that'd been dropped on them. Then, something slipped from Nathan's lips that Lucas didn't see coming.

"Lucky."

It was in a hushed tone that made Lucas wonder if the younger Scott even knew he voiced it. Immediately, he questioned it and their eyes lock blue on blue before Nathan mounts his defense.

"Are you going to tell me you never wondered what life would be like without Dan… never once thought we'd be better off," he questioned, his voice rising in a tone as an indicator of how envious he was that this boy actually saw days without Dan Scott being affiliated with him or having to wear the burden of all the wrongs the man had done. "The kids better off never knowing he's Dan's son."

Lucas's shoulders drop considerably as the weight of the question bore down on him. Of course he'd thought of a life without Dan. In fact, he'd probably thought about it more than anyone on the face of this Earth. But this wasn't about changing their pasts but modifying this teenager's future because knowing what he knew now, he couldn't leave the boy to weather this storm alone.

"Dan's behind bars Nate. He's not going to have anything to do with the kid. It's about our brother being alone in this world and the power we have to stop it!"

It was an impassioned argument between the brothers, probably the most heated argument they've had since high school. Their tones elevated and Nate went from the seated position to upright waving his arms with each impassioned word. But they never neared each other, standing on opposite sides of the coffee table that divides them.

"How do we even know that Dan's not lying? It's not he like he hasn't before."

The edge of Lucas's lip curls up into a smirk as he hefts a small stack of papers onto the coffee table that'd been concealed within his messenger bag. He saw Nathan's hesitancy in reaching for the papers as if they'd jump up and bite off his hand but he sees Luke nodding his head down at the papers in encouragement and grabs hold. As Nate brings the papers up into both hands to take a look at, Lucas narrates the key points.

"I had a private investigator find him. His name's Logan Atwood and he lived in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina until he and his mother moved to New York for her job. And now that she's gone, he's in the foster system currently living in NYC. I'll admit it's not a lot but I know what I need to know."

Blue orbs snap up from the pages of information in his hands to his older brother with curiosity glimmering in the sea of blue. "And what's that?"

There's a smile on Lucas's face as he moves around the glass table and pats his brother on the shoulder not bothering in turning back to Nate as he slowly moved out of the living room calling out, "He's our brother."

The words cut through the quiet room cutting into the thick barrier that blocked Nathan from acceptance as well. As Nathan peels away the layers blocking him from accepting with each page, Lucas shoots his best friend a smile that'd been hanging in the doorway and said his goodbyes. Once coming to terms, the future NBA star turned to look back at Lucas not realizing his departure. A emotionally drained set of blue eyes meet the sympathetic brown ones of his wife and take in that half smile she managed to muster.

"How long have you been there?" he asks wanting to know if he has to bring her up to pace.

She crosses the distance and sits down on the couch next to him, an arm reaching around his shoulder and playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck before answering, "Long enough to know I need to pack a bag for New York."

xXx


End file.
